1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the communication of text and image information between a central server computer and one or more client computers located at remote sites. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method of storing, retrieving, and displaying test and data compressed image files describing unique products, services or individuals.
2. Prior Art
Various systems have been proposed for accessing text and image information associated with catalog type sales, wherein each listed item is advertised in terms of desired quantities, qualities, and so forth. Updates to such systems are done on an occasional or seasonal basis, as new products are added and older products are removed. While some searching of the database may be possible, it is generally limited to the different styles, colors, etc., of products manufactured in large quantities.
Systems also exist which support the sale of unique products or items, such as trucks having particular equipment, or persons having particular characteristics. One example of a system of this type is disclosed by Bijnagte (U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,680), wherein the product is real estate. The system architecture of Bijnagte is limited to that of the host-terminal, however, and all transactions, including picture scanning, are performed on an on-line, interactive basis. Images are limited to 8-bit color and a maximum of sixteen in number, and are further limited in size to dimensions in pixels of 128.times.100 (approximately 1/4 screen at relatively low resolution), and data compression is limited to approximately 2:1, which is characteristic of "loss-free" compression in which there is no actual reduction in the amount of data. In addition, only limited means are included to prevent unauthorized access or modification of records.
Another related information system is disclosed by Sibley, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,552), in which commodity market bids are conveyed between remote terminal sites by way of local trade exchanges and satellite communication links. By their very nature, such products are not unique, and would not benefit from the use of image information.